“Can you please tie my shoe coach?”
On the surface, the responsibilities of being a youth coach are all about fun, laughter, wiping away tears for obscure reasons and yes tieing the odd shoe. And while that’s partly true, the duties stretch a little further and become more complicated if you genuinely want to be the youth sports coach your kids remember for the rest of their life.
The responsibilities of being a youth sports coach encompass everything from teaching the fundamentals of sport such as skill development, fair competition and sportsmanship to being a positive, reliable, enthusiastic role model for the players, parents and community.
The responsibilities of a youth sports coach are vastly different from say, Gregg Popovich who is the president and coach of the Antiono Spurs NBA team. Youth sports coaches are not only, generally, volunteers but they are also juggling passionate parents, kids playing multiple sports, their other job and their own personal life. All whilst trying to develop not only positive athletes but also good people.
This post explores the complex responsibilities of youth sports coaching with tips on how to be influential and impactful in the role.
“Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.”
Michael Jordan
To Be Not Only Their Coach but Also Their Role Model
What do you remember about your first few youth sports coaches?
Was it their ability to support you after a missed shot at goal when you thought you’d failed?
Was it their ability to teach you that sport is so much more than what’s on the scoreboard, even at a young age?
Or, was it because they yelled and screamed at you to the point you gave it all away, until now?
In my opinion, the biggest responsibility of a youth sports coach is not only to be the person who teaches kids the fundamentals of sport but to also be a positive leader and exceptional role model.
I once read that…
“The role that a coach can have on a player’s life is significant in youth development”
(source)
and I couldn’t agree more. But what does it look like in reality and how do it?
Here is a list of ways you, as the youth sports coach, can become not only the fundamentals coach but also their role model and mentor.
- Dress appropriately, be prepared and show up on time and expect the same from your players
- Have a positive attitude and be enthusiastic. Encourage kids both involved in the action and on the bench to cheer, support and demonstrate team unity and spirit. Excitement is contagious and it starts with you.
- Support the responsibilities and decisions of the referee. If you disagree with a call, remain calm and ask a direct question about a specific moment in the game, when the time is appropriate. Kids are easily influenced and watch your every move so think about how to act when facing adversity because they will copy you.
- Don’t tolerate bad behavior such as poor sportsmanship, negative body language, poor commitment and flat effort levels. Address these issues immediately while being observant to the cause. If you need to put a kid on the bench, even the “best, most talented kid,” for bad behaviors, go for it.
- Make sure all children shake hands with the opposition players and coaches after each and every game regardless of the score. No exceptions.
- Teach responsibility and accountability by making sure each child knows the consequence of showing a lack of effort or simply not wanting to play. Plus, ensure even the youngest of kids know what they need to play such as shoes, a drink bottle and a uniform. Don’t do everything for them and make them think for themselves, encouraging the parents to be on board too.
- Listen when a child is trying to communicate something with you. This can look different so look for verbal and non-verbal signs. See When to Stop Coaching Your Child? 4 Signs You Must Know for more what to specifically look for.
“It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”
Muhammad Ali
- Teach resilience by not letting children sulk because they lost or because they got injured. Work with them and support them by highlighting the positive aspects of the game and what they achieved.
- Be aware of the children who lack self-confidence and how each player responds to stress, loud noises and high stimulation.
- Emphasize the importance of academics first and foremost particularly as the kids reach older age groups. This “one and down” phrase could be doing more to kid’s mental states and effort levels then we think.
Provide a Safe and Fun Environment for the Children
What do you think the #1 reason kids want to play sports is?
To win? Play with their friends? Impress their parents?
No, is it to have fun.
Yep, the Michigan State University Institute for the Study of Youth Sports cites a child’s number one reason for playing sports is to “have fun.”
But you know what, “by the time they are 13 years old, 70 percent have dropped out of team sports”. (source)
So we as youth sport coaches MUST shift our focus away from winning and what’s on the scoreboard to maintaining a high level of fun in sports to keep kids interested and involved.
Don’t get me wrong.
I don’t believe in giving out participation badges for each and every kid who comes to play because I think that installs a mediocre mindset.
And I do want to keep score and have winners and losers at the end of a game because it teachers resilience.
But winning is not what youth sport is fundamentally about.
It’s about developing a group of kids to be good, respectful people, even if they lost every game by 100 points.
You have to put the development of all the players ahead of your desire to win. As much as that may hurt your pride and personal goals.
And don’t panic…your performance as a youth sports coach should never be measured by how many games you won and lost.
I’m sure you watch the odd professional sports game on TV, right?
And what’s it all about, well publically anyway… winning! So I understand it can be hard to shift your focus to other nonmeasurable aspects of sport such as sportsmanship, being a role model, social interaction and reaching even the smallest goals like a kid remembering to bring his drink bottle to practice without his mom reminding him.
…Particularly if you are new to youth sports coaching. But it’s your responsibility as a youth sports coach to look beyond the scoreboard.
Here are some ways to do that:
Practice:
- Ensure that every drill you perform at practice involves minimal “sitting out time.” Educate and explain the purpose and how to perform something for a couple of minutes ONLY then have the kids perform it.
Related post: Can You Coach a Sport You Never Played at the Youth Level?
- Organize team-based practice drills as well as individual development stations, but don’t spend too long on one particular drill. Keep it interesting.
- Organize creative and unique drills at practice. Why not let the kids choose an activity for 5-10 minutes instead of just “running laps?”
- Incorporate music into practice such as during warm-up, cool down and stretches.
Social fun:
- Team bonding activities such as team dinners and even grilling/BBQs in the local park organized with the help of the parents.
- As a team, volunteer for local projects or even visit a nursing home, giving something back to the community.
Team bonding:
- Create nicknames for teammates to instill a sense of belonging and camaraderie. Ask what the kids get called at home or at school and have some fun creating a “team language”.
- Set team goals with a neat reward at the end if you reach it such as icy poles at training or a “team party.”
“Most people get excited about games, but I’ve got to be excited about practice, because that’s my classroom.”
Pat Summitt, Basketball
But What About Safety as a Youth Sports Coach?
What does maintaining safety mean as a youth sports coach? Here are a few ideas:
- Being aware of incoming and future weather conditions, even if your sport is played indoors.
Is it safe for parents to commute during a snowstorm or tornado warning? If it’s not safe you need to be okay with canceling practice or even a game in consultation with your commissioner/supervisor.
If you coach an outdoor sport, show maturity and logic during extreme weather.
- Providing adequate drink breaks and healthy nutrition advice
Can you bring back the old, oranges and fruit at half time, tradition?
I’m sure the parents could organize a roster where they are each responsible for bringing the fruit for the team each week, instead of candy for energy.
You never know just how much parents appreciate asking to be involved, even in a small way.
How much water should kids drink while playing sports?
“Divide their body weight in half and drink at least an ounce per pound of body weight throughout a typical day (e.g., someone weighing 160 pounds should drink 80 ounces of water a day) – True Sport
- Ensuring the environment protects the privacy of kids and provides minimal risk for injury.
Is the court so dusty the kids could slip? Is the location of practice easy to access and can parents watch if they want?
- Make sure all the equipment is in good working order and there is enough for each child.
- Ensure you are providing educated coaching techniques and game awareness particularly when involved in high contact sports such as football.
If you don’t know about these technical techniques, don’t fake it. Get advice, take a course or ask a parent who holds these skills to be on the coaching team with you as an assistant.
Plan and Supervise Games, Practices and Events
Do you ever remember showing up to practice and the coach looked disheveled and unorganized? I do and didn’t set a positive tone from the get-go.
Kids acted up. Time was wasted and parents got frustrated.
As a youth sports coach, one of your key responsibilities is to plan and supervise games, practices and events.
But what can this look like?
- Having a training plan which addresses weakness seen on game day along with teaching new skills in an enjoyable environment
- Ensuring that all parents and guardians are aware of practice and game times and are quickly made aware when there are changes.
- Play even minutes and equal court time, even if it means you’re going to lose dismally. Take a look at a similar post Dan wrote titled, “Is Youth Sports Too Intense? A Message For Our Coaches which explore why this is so important for our kid’s development beyond the game.
- Give each child the opportunity to play in each position, even if it may seem obvious they are naturally talented in another position. Kids don’t understand this so give them the opportunity to experience every part of the game from different angles and let them decide.
- Follow and respect all league rules, policies and by-laws.
- Being responsible for all children until they are picked up by their parent or guardian before leaving the field/gym. Even if this means you get home late to your own family.
- Showing the upmost patience as you repeat yourself for the 1000th time. Even to the parents.
- Be contactable on game day or allocate a team manager to be responsible for taking sick or late calls if you are preparing for game day.
- Not allowing offensive language, cheating or fighting among teammates or to opponents. Ever.
- “Huddle” all players with their parents after every game and congratulate them on what they did well.
Provide or Escalate Adequate First Aid When Injuries Occur
Picture this.
During practice one of your players collides with another child on the soccer pitch, hitting their head, falling to the ground. They immediately start seizing.
Your team manager who knows first aid and “did the course” called in sick last minute and amongst yourself and the parents watching, the extent of anybody’s first aid is applying a band-aid to a boo-boo.
Scary huh?
While having a first-aid certificate is not essential, it can install confidence in your own ability to handle an injury if there happen to be limited healthcare professionals on-site, such as in this situation.
As an emergency nurse myself and co-founder of The Other Shift, here’s are two other health-related tips you’ll want to know.
- When doing physical drills and activities to boost fitness and “burn some energy” as my old coach used to say, really watch each kid.
Just because they are young doesn’t mean something health-related could be going on which has never been diagnosed such as childhood asthma or congenital heart disease.
If you see something, don’t be afraid to mention it to their parents.
2. Have access to medical information/services in case of an emergency
This is particularly important if you are at a remote training camp with limited cell service.
Always have a first aid kit available and know what’s inside.
Teach the Fundamentals of the Sport
While there is so much to consider and be responsible for a youth coach, teaching the fundamentals of a particular sport is likely why you started in the first place.
Teach kids to love the game just as much as you do, while keeping in mind the following:
- Don’t skip the basics because they are “boring.” Teaching proper technique as a youngster will set them up for a successful, enjoyable career in sports.
- Teach skills relative to their developmental age in particular how technical and tactical your message is
- Prioritize skill development
- Guide kids to learn and understand the rules required to play sport and why they are important
- Make sure your players understand the difference between aggressive and hostile play
I’m still a little dirty on my first basketball coach who taught me to basically “piff” the ball with two hands instead of the one-handed flick and release I should have been taught…
“The coach needs to find a balance between support and pressure to encourage kids to do their best”.
Y Coach
Encourage the Positive Involvement of the Parents and or Guardian
Prior to coaching, you may have thought that taming and teaching x10 six-year-olds how to catch was tough work, but that was before you needed to manage their parents too.
I’m not saying all parents are awful, overbearing and negative because they aren’t. Certainly not.
Most parents are supportive, generous and doing their best to support their child in sports. We need to recognize this and work with them rather than against them.
Here are a few ways to create a positive relationship with parents as a youth sports coach:
- Set realistic expectations at the start of the season regarding playing time and supportive behavior. Hold a meeting with all parents as a “get to know you” and explain your stance on what they can expect from you and how and when they can approach you if they have query. ie… not after a game.
- Encouraging the involvement of the parents in the sport as volunteers for fundraising, working in the canteen/shop selling food, carpooling/ride-sharing, washing uniforms/towels and maintaining the grounds at the local sports club.
- Be accessible and contactable (within reason) for changes in venues, times or cancellations. Consider using a phone app such as TeamApp to make this super easy.
- Have a schedule of game and practice times easily obtainable early into the season or as soon as possible.
- Make sure you point out individual progress to each player and their parent then together set realistic goals for the future.
- Listen to the parents and guardian both verbally and non verbally. Be in tune with the reality that not everyone has a strong family life at home and so your position as a role model could be entirely different from another child’s. A pretty privileged position to be in I think.
Coaches have to watch for what they don’t want to see and listen to what they don’t want to hear.”
John Madden, American Football
Supervise, Coordinate and Encourage the Participation of Assistant Coaches
Coaching youth sports can be hard, really hard.
Kids get REALLY excited and LOUD about playing sport and being with their friends. This is wonderful, but the reality is it can be really full-on after working your normal 9-5 job.
And so it’s okay and even encouraged to have a bit of help.
Hello assistant coaches.
Assistant coaches offer not only amazing support for you, but they also offer kids another mentor and perspective which is imperative in a child’s development.
Some kids will relate better to you while others relate better to them. That’s life. But it’s your responsibility as a coach to support these assistant coaches also flourish and enjoy sports.
Here are a few ways to ensuring you’re doing all you can to support your coaching staff:
- Prioritize your coaching staff on teaching proper techniques and coordinating practices safely
- Regular meetings and catch-ups discussing players, issues and goals for the season.
- Attend internal and external coaching clinics together
- Let them take their own training drills and don’t interfere
- Allow them to run warm-up and cool down whilst always ensuring it’s age-appropriate, fun and enjoyable
Have a Positive Working Relationship with the School/Business/Club You Are Coaching For
Life’s simply better when your boss likes you, respects you and thinks you’re a good human, right?
The same goes for youth sports coaches, even if you’re a volunteer.
Without trying to sound too negative, potential issues which could arise are:
- Having varying opinions on canceling games and practices due to inclement weather
- Clashes of theories in regards to children playing multiple sports
- Lack of space for practice if the school/club needs the area for a specific reason such as school exams
- Playing time when you are coaching your own child
Related post: When to Stop Coaching Your Child? 4 Signs You Must Know
But here are a few ways to prevent hostility and issues from occurring in the future:
- Be aware of your job description before you begin. Actually read the darn thing and sign it if you’re content with the terms.
- Understand who is your direct line of command… or simply…who do you go to when there is a problem? Who do you directly report to?
- Learn and follow all association rules, policies, and procedures as they could vary from one association to the next
- Attend association and local meetings, classes, and functions
- Escalate concerns early such as bad parents’ behavior or difficulties in one of the kid’s home life.
- Know and understand the association/school/clubs social media policy – basically, don’t take any photos of kids without consent.
- Educate yourself. You don’t want to teach a skill that is technically incorrect causing injury and you get blamed by parents for negligence. Take a course or multiple courses, watch videos and read books and never stop learning.
Summary: What Are the Responsibilities of a Youth Sports Coach?
Short answer… a lot.
Youth sports coaching is a complex, delicate role that requires you to wear many hats. But when a kid turns around giving you a thumbs up after assisting a teammate, it feels pretty darn good.
I hope this post gave you some valuable insights into your responsibilities as a youth sports coach.
Did I cover everything? What else have you found to also be your duty as a youth sports coach?
Cheers,
Emma
